Forty Under 40

Daniel Flowers, 39

President & CEO,
Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank

Daniel R. Flowers earned his bachelor's degree in history and worked his way through college as a neo-classical/heavy-metal guitar instructor at a performing arts school before becoming interested in grant writing as a graduate student.

But in 1997, the Davison, Mich., native found his heart “transformed” as a grant writer at the Eastern Michigan Food Bank.

“My grandparents lived in poverty, and I had such a wonderful relationship with them,” said Mr. Flowers, now 39 and president and CEO of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. “It occurred to me early in my food-banking experience that the people who had the least, loved me the most.”

With the subsequent business experience gained running a Flint, Mich., job center for Northrop Grumman Corp., Mr. Flowers was able to pursue his goal of leading a food bank. In 2003, he came here to do it.

Since then, he has overseen the food bank's distribution to 400 charities in eight counties as it has grown from 9.2 million pounds a year to more than 16 million pounds in 2008. Through a wide range of supply donations from local businesses, he also established a food bank brand of hygienic products such as shampoo and soap. And amid the regional economic slump, he led a capital campaign enabling the food bank to buy a new 85,000-square-foot building and establish an endowment.

“It was obvious the food bank here was positioned for growth,” he said. “I didn't come expecting to fall in love with this community. I have no intentions of leaving it now. There's so much more we have to do.”

“He's been a tireless advocate not only on behalf of the hungry folks who are served within the territory served by the Akron-Canton food bank ... but statewide and nationwide,” she said. “Dan is as comfortable sitting in a boardroom talking to funders as he is walking food lines and shaking hands and talking to the hungry Ohioans that are standing in those lines.”

Mr. Flowers and his wife, Holly, have been married 12 years and have three children: Andy, age 9; Jon, 7; and Mary, 5.